SWC Arizona

Setting the standard in care for medical marijuana in Arizona.

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Vintage Cure Cannabis: Patience & Perfection

Producing medical cannabis of the highest possible quality requires special attention at every stage of the cultivation process. Each decision experienced cultivators make – from the selection of genetics, to the nutrients the plants receive, to the exact timing of the harvest – requires delicate precision. Quality cannabis flowers are a testament to months of hard work, but many growers overlook the importance of the critical final stage in the process. That’s why we’re proud to introduce our Vintage Cure line of finely aged flowers. The Process Though sometimes misunderstood by commercial growers eager to share their latest harvest, the curing process is vital to the production of top shelf flowers. This stage begins the moment the plant is harvested from the garden and can last from weeks to months depending on the quality standards of the manufacturer. As with many artisanal products, patience is a virtue here and rewards those willing to wait. As the plant begins to dry, the flowers undergo chemical changes that increase the medicinal properties of the finished product. Our cultivation team creates a temperature and humidity controlled environment with minimized light exposure to protect the integrity of cannabinoids and terpenes within each flower. Surrounding air is carefully exchanged to remove excess moisture and ensure optimal conditions throughout the curing stage. This process allows chlorophyll and other naturally occurring plant components to break down at the cellular level, leaving behind only the most desirable elements of the finished flower. The Product When cured to such exacting standards, cannabis flowers exhibit rich aromas and flavors according to each strain’s unique terpene profile. Due to its optimized moisture content, the finished product will be easier to grind or separate, exposing its cannabinoid components. When smoked or vaporized, the material will heat evenly and patients will experience reduced irritation upon inhalation due to the breakdown of byproducts during the lengthy curing process. For cultivators in pursuit of perfection, this approach is essential, but it requires considerable patience and commitment. The flowers featured in our Vintage Cure line have undergone over 4 months of curing time, including careful monitoring throughout the process. We’re grateful to our skilled cultivation staff for their dedication to excellence and we’re excited to share these superb flowers with our patients. Vintage Cure flowers are available now, featuring Northern Lights (Indica), Flo (Hybrid), and Super Silver Haze (Sativa).

SWC Holiday Sweepstakes 2016

OFFICIAL RULES FOR SWC TEMPE & SWC PRESCOTT  HOLIDAY SWEEPSTAKES: December 12-23, 2016 NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. RECEIVE ADDITIONAL ENTRIES EACH TIME YOU MAKE A PURCHASE OF SPECIFIED PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS. OPEN TO ARIZONA RESIDENTS WHO HAVE VALID ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES MEDICAL MARIJUANA REGISTRY IDENTIFICATION CARDS AND ARE 18 YEARS OR OLDER AT THE TIME OF ENTRY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. SUBJECT TO ALL APPLICABLE LAWS. EMPLOYEES OF SWC TEMPE, SWC PRESCOTT, AFFILATED COMPANY EMPLOYEES, ITS ADVERTISING OR PROMOTIONAL AGENCIES AND MEMBERS OFTHEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILIES OR HOUSEHOLDS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO ENTER. By participating, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the interpretations and decisions, which are binding and final on matters relating to the Official Rules and this Sweepstakes. Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws. HOW TO ENTER: Visit the SWC Tempe or SWC Prescott store locations during the Entry Period, complete an entry form available in the store, and deposit the completed entry form in the Sweepstakes entries box between open of business on 12/12/16 and the prize drawing period at close of business on 12/23/16 (the “Entry Period”). Entries received before or after the Entry Period will not be eligible. Limit one entry per patient per day. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO RECEIVE FREE ENTRY. Customers may receive additional entries through other in-store promotional efforts. Entries generated by script, macro, or other automated means are void. All entries become the property of SWC Tempe & SWC Prescott and will not be acknowledged or returned. DRAWING: One winners at each dispensary will be selected at random from all eligible entries received through that date at that dispensary the Event Days. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. NOTICE TO WINNERS: SWC Tempe & SWC Prescott will notify the potential winner by telephone or email if the potential winner is not present at the time of the drawing. If a potential winner declines, or does not fulfill the requirements for the award of the prize, an alternate potential winner will be selected by random drawing. PRIZE: One prize will be awarded each day as follows. Winner gets their choice of select strains.
  • 12/12/16 = 1g of flower. Retail value $12.
  • 12/13/16 = 2g of flower. Retail value $24.
  • 12/14/16 = 3g of lower. Retail value $36.
  • 12/15/16 = 4g of flower. Retail value $48.
  • 12/16/16 = 5g of flower. Retail value $60.
  • 12/17/16 = 6g of flower. Retail value $72.
  • 12/18/16 = 7g of flower. Retail value $84.
  • 12/19/16 = 8g of flower. Retail value $96.
  • 12/20/16 = 9g of flower. Retail value $108.
  • 12/21/16 = 10g of flower. Retail value $120.
  • 12/22/16 = 11g of flower. Retail value $132.
  • 12/23/16 = 12g of flower. Retail value $144.
TOTAL RETAIL VALUE OF PRIZE IS ESTIMATED AT $936 PER STORE. Retail value per prize is as follows: The winner may not substitute, assign, or transfer prize or redeem prize for cash. The winner is responsible for all taxes in connection with his/her prize. SWC Tempe and SWC Prescott reserves the right to substitute the prize with a prize of equal or greater value if the advertised prize becomes unavailable. USE OF INFORMATION: SWC Tempe and SWC Prescott will use data about entrants obtained in connection with the entry into the Sweepstakes for the administration of the Sweepstakes and otherwise in accordance with SWC Tempe and SWC Prescott’s privacy policy. By submitting an entry, entrant agrees to such use of personal data. GENERAL CONDITIONS: Releasees (as defined below) are not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, stolen, misdirected, undelivered, garbled, or illegible entries; failures or difficulties, or other errors of any kind, whether human, mechanical, electronic, or network; or the incorrect or inaccurate capture of entry or other information, or the failure to capture any such information. Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the Sweepstakes, as solely determined by SWC Tempe and SWC Prescott, will be disqualified. Should any portion of the Sweepstakes be, in SWC Tempe and SWC Prescott’ sole opinion, compromised by unauthorized human intervention or other causes, which, in the sole opinion of SWC Tempe and SWC Prescott, corrupt or impair the administration, security, fairness or proper play, or submission of entries, SWC Tempe and SWC Prescott reserves the right at its sole discretion to suspend, modify, or terminate the Sweepstakes and select the winner from all eligible, non suspect entries received prior to action taken or as otherwise deemed fair and appropriate by SWC Tempe and SWC Prescott. Entrants, by participating, agree that SWC Tempe and SWC Prescott and its parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotional agencies, and all their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives, and agents (collectively, the “Releasees”) will have no liability whatsoever for, and shall be held harmless by entrants against, any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind, including death, to persons or property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, misuse, or use of the prize or participation in this Sweepstakes. Each winner, by acceptance of the prize, except where legally prohibited, grants permission for SWC Tempe and SWC Prescott and its designees to use his/her name, address (city and state), photograph, voice, and/or other likeness and prize information for advertising, trade, and promotional purposes without further compensation, in all media now known or hereafter discovered, worldwide and on the Internet and World Wide Web, in perpetuity, without notice or review or approval. SWC Tempe and SWC Prescott may require the potential winner to sign separate written agreements confirming the agreements, releases, and permissions described above. In addition, the winner agrees to sign releases, assumption of risk, and other agreements and documents required by SWC Tempe and SWC Prescott. WINNER’S NAME: To confirm if you are a Sweepstakes winner (which will be available after 12/23/16), please contact SWC Tempe or SWC Prescott. No winner data will be shared with other patients without prior consent from the winner.

Major Study Coming on Medical Cannabis and Chronic Pain

Neurobiologist Emily Lindley is launching a fascinating study evaluating medical marijuana’s effectiveness at treating chronic pain when compared to opioid pain relievers:
The question of whether marijuana can help treat chronic pain is important enough on its own, but Lindley’s study takes on extra significance in the context of the ongoing epidemic of opioid abuse. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, since 2010 more than 14,000 people have been dying annually from overdosing on these prescription painkillers. Physicians have commented for more than a century on the potential for cannabis to substitute for opioid drugs, and several recent studies seem to bolster this hypothesis. Researchers examining public-health records have found evidence that painkiller prescriptions, opioid abuse, and overdose deaths has declined in medical marijuana states. The idea has not been tested with rigorous clinical trials, however. Such trials are expensive, and they’re normally paid for by a pharmaceutical company hoping to bring a new drug to market. Because a plant that exists and reproduces in nature can’t be patented, cannabis offers few opportunities for patents (and thus profits), which makes it look like a loser to most companies. [The Atlantic]
Lindley’s experience moving her project forward reveals a great deal about why clinical trials on the efficacy of medical cannabis are rare in the U.S., despite considerable interest among patients and policymakers. Federal regulations guiding how such research must be performed create substantial costs and inconveniences that are all but impossible to overcome. There’s some irony in the fact that medical marijuana has now been approved in more than half of all U.S. states, and yet researchers still struggle to obtain an approved supply due to rules aimed at preventing marijuana intended for research from being mishandled. The reality is that medical cannabis is already being used for treatment by a large and growing number of patients around the country. Well-regulated dispensaries with professional security are serving patients every day, but there remains a shortage of clinical data to quantify the positive health outcomes our patients routinely report to us. We appreciate the efforts of Dr. Lindley and other researchers working to increase access to important data about cannabis and health. Our mission to improve patients’ quality of life would not be possible without the hard work of those dedicated to studying the cannabis plant and advancing empirical knowledge of its benefits. The more we learn, the better prepared we are to serve patients and promote public health.

NFL Players Seek Medical Marijuana for Pain Relief

footballInterest in medical marijuana as an alternative treatment for chronic pain has grown considerably in recent years. It should come as no surprise that athletes, who are no strangers to serious injuries and severe pain, would be joining the conversation about what medical marijuana has to offer.
Kyle Turley hurt plenty during his eight NFL seasons in the 1990s and 2000s. As an offensive lineman, he was involved in jarring collisions nearly every play when his team had the ball. He hurt after his career -– Turley sometimes walks with a cane. And in a recent video, he displayed one by one the bottles of powerful painkillers he used. “Vicodin, Flexeril, Percocets, Vioxx, morphine,” Turley recited as he plopped the bottles down on a kitchen counter. Turley says be became addicted to the drugs and depressed to the point of contemplating suicide. Then last year, he quit the prescription painkillers and started using marijuana to manage his pain. [NPR]
Kyle Turley’s story mirrors reports we hear daily from patients who’ve turned to medical marijuana after finding that prescription painkillers caused too many problems to improve their quality of life. Unfortunately, league rules prohibit players from using marijuana, even for medical use in states where it is legal. The benefits Turley has discovered after retiring from football remain unavailable to athletes who still compete. Thanks to the efforts of Turley and others, however, a conversation is emerging about marijuana and pain relief in professional sports. For many familiar with marijuana’s medicinal benefits, it’s a very straightforward argument that a natural and fast-acting drug with few side-effects and remarkably low toxicity would often be an excellent option for athletes who test their bodies on a daily basis. Given what we know about the dangers of prescription painkillers, athletes likely face a heightened risk of dependence or even overdose given the grueling nature of their profession. No one should have to choose between their career and their health, and we’ve had the opportunity to work with many patients who’ve found that marijuana provides the relief they need. As the conversation continues and more research becomes available, we’re optimistic that people from all walks of life who deal with chronic pain will have opportunities to discover whether medical cannabis can help them.

Killimanjaro Marijuana Strain

kilimanjaro AZ medical marijuana strainA pure sativa strain native to the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, Kilimanjaro is the pinnacle of African sativa strains, perfected through many years of native gardening in Kenya.  The strain is notorious for its incredibly euphoric and energetic cerebral high, with some patients reporting that it also assists with focus. These uplifting effects are consistent with that of a strong sativa, but Kilimanjaro also elevates mood, eliminating depression, anxiety, and stress, while relieving pain and nausea with ease.

Kilimanjaro is equipped with a primarily citrus aroma blended with strong undertones of skunk.  The buds are snappy, long, aromatic, frosted with trichomes, and smell even stronger when broken up.  The strain is incredibly potent, and natives often referred to it as the “elephant flattener” because of the psychedelic effects it produces.

Kilimanjaro grows tall, higher than 8 feet in many cases, resulting in lots of time for resinous trichomes to form on the flower as it grows. The plant is very branchy and slender, as are most sativas, but Kilimanjaro’s branch-heavy structure doesn’t mean it’s a weak plant, as the main stem grows thick and strong with time. Though typically grown outdoors due to its height, our cultivation team had expertly adapted this strain to indoor conditions.

Included below are three reviews of Kilimanjaro which MMJ patients posted on Leafly, a marijuana strain network for medical marijuana patients.

View our dispensary menus to get some Killimanjaro today. 

“Pungent skunk and citrus smell. High in THC. Out of the 30+ strains i’ve tried, this has to be the most euphoric strain i’ve come across. Keeps you awake and alert.. at the same time, you can lay down and easily sink into a dream state. I rarely have odd closed eye visuals when it comes to MJ. This strain had my mind racing a bit.. but not in a bad (trippy) way. Very interesting strain.” -TreMcSinseMilla

“Very euphoric and creative. This is the stuff of shaman legend. Highly recommended.” – bfroemming

“Without a doubt this is a “Elefant Stomper” By far my favorite strain. Super energetic as well as euphoric happiness. If you find this in your area it’s worth the trip.” -bfroemming

We’re excited to feature Kilimanjaro as our December PSC Gram of the Month.

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